Boot hanger



June 9, 1953 v F. E. BURCH 2,641,366

- BOOT HANGER Filed Oct. 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .N f I A I am)! INVENTOR.

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BOOT HANGER Filed Oct. 1:, 1949 6 2 Sheets-Sheet z N TOR.

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Patented June 9, i953 vi g il UNl-TE-D STAT-ES PATENT. OFFICE I I I 2,e41,3s6

Boo'r HANGER I I Frank E. Burch, Detroit, Mich.-

Application October 13, 1949, Serial No. 121,168

Claims.

-wh ich is of simple structure, easily transported,

and which can be carried in a knocked-down condition and readily and quickly assembled for use at any time.

The invention also contemplates a hanger which will efficiently and securely support various types of wearing apparel, such as shoes, shirts, hose and coats.

Fig. l is a view showing the hanger in use.

Fig. 2 shows the hanger (minus springs) in completely collapsed condition.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the portion of the hanger which supports a boot.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the complete hanger in almost collapsed condition.

My hanger consists of the following elements: support member I provided with hooks 2 and 3 at its opposite ends, cross bar 4 pivoted to support I by pin 5, straps 6 and I pivoted to the ends of cross bar 4 by pins 8 and 9, and coil springs I0 and II. Pivot pins 5, 8 and 9 are preferably rivets which have their ends upset to provide friction joints between members I and 4 and members 4 and I and members 4 and 6.

Members I and 4 can be made from any suitable material such as plastic or metal, but preferably support member I is made of wire and cross bar 4 of strip steel. Straps 6 and I which serve as clamps should be made from flexible material and are preferably made of thin flat strip spring steel. Straps 6 and I are each provided with a plurality of holes I2 which receive the hooked ends I3 of the coil springs I0 and II.

As shown in Fig. 2, my hanger can be collapsed so that the straps 6 and I are in parallel juxtaposed relation and overlie cross bar 4 which is substantially parallel to the straps. In 001- lapsed position the hooked support member I also is substantially parallel to, and overlies, straps 6 and I. Springs I0 and II can be disconnected from their respective straps, as shown in Fig. 2, or, if desired, one of the hooked ends I3 of each spring I0 and II can be permanently affixed to its respective strap 6 or 1. In collapsed position my support occupies but very little space; in fact, less space than an ordinary fiat one foot rule, so that my hanger can be readily carried in a vest or coat pocket.

2 Fig. 1 illustrates my support inuse. in use, cross bar 4 isswung about pivot 5 until it is substantially perpendicular to support rod I. Straps Sand 1 are each used for supporting a shoe or boot by the heel. To this end each of the straps 6 and I are bent or flexed about a heel I4 of the shoe so that they tightly grip the heel, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, and then springs Illand II are hooked'into holes I2 so as to hold "each strap in resilient clamping relationship with the heel of the boot. Holes I2 provide for an adjustable mounting of springs l0 and I I so that the springs can always be mounted adjacent the front edge I5 of the heel. Springs I0 and II are made narrower than the width of the heel so that when in assembled position, Fig. 3, they will be extended and under tension thereby holding straps B and I in resilient gripping relation with the side face of each heel.

Preferably in forming holes I2 the metal is upset about the holes to provide pointed projections or spurs I6 which tend to stick into the heels and assist straps 6 and I to securely grip the heel. The boots will be mounted heel to heel, as shown in Fig. l, and the hanger suspended by hook I from any suitable support, such as a nail or rafter. The lower hook 2 can be used for supporting an ordinary coat or other piece of wearing apparel mounted thereon.

My hanger holds rubber footwear by the heels, insuring longer life by proper drying and eliminating folds and cracks, and at the same time it hangs the sportmans entire wardrobe, such as boots or waders, trousers, shirt, cap, socks and coat.

From the above it will be seen that I have produced a hanger which will be particularly useful for sportsmen who have the need of a hanger but of necessity must have a hanger which is of light weight and occupies a minimum of space so that it can be easily transported. Lightness of weight and compactness is particularly important where the hanger is taken by the sportsman on a pack trip.

When not in use one end each of springs I0 and I I can be disconnected from its respective strap to release the boots, and the hanger 001- When having free opposite ends and being normally in the form of straight fiat strips bendable to substantially U form in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane of said support rod and cross bar for gripping the heel of a boot, and spring means operative between the free ends of each of said straps for holding the same in substantially U form and in yieldable gripping relation with the heel 0f the boot, said straps when disengaged fremsaid spring reverting to their substantially straight strip form and overlying said cross bar.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said straps is pivoted on said cross bar on an axis generally parallel to the pivdtal axis of the cross bar and takes the form of a flat strip of spring metal, the said straps being ply-- otable to a position overlying said cross bar and juxtaposed in parallel relation with each other whereby said cross bar can be pivoted to a position where it overlies said support rod and 1 wherein the support rod, cross bar and straps V 4 the spring means consists of two tension springs, one for each of said straps.

5. The combination claimed in claim 4 including a plurality of spaced spurs on each strap for biting into the heel of a boot when the strap is in gripping relation with the boot heel.

FRANK E. BURCH.

.Referene'es Cited in theme of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 634,387 Betcone Oct. 3, 1899 1,416,823 Hecht May 23, 1922 1,649,338 Gaines Nov. 8, 1927 1,815,673 Kelley July 21, 1931 1,836,878 Sauer Dec. 15, 1931 1,897,078 Syowall Feb. 14, 1933 1,942,600 Hornung 1 Jan. 9, 1934 2,284,552 Arenz an-11111-1 May 26, 1942 2,821,700 Pfei-ffer 1 -11 June 15, 194-3 2,467,141 Meyerhoff Apr. 12, 1949 2,554,825 Grimberg -11 May 29, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number country Date 136,874 Switzerland -1 1 Feb. 17'. 1930 231,226 Switzerland .111. June 1,. i944- 

